The topic of one FanSided article was too difficult to resist. It drew me in merely because I was curious about its logic. While most are wondering if the San Francisco 49ers might trade away former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance in the upcoming draft, the "site expert" for Toro Times, the Houston Texans site for FanSided, wondered if the Niners might be willing to part ways with another quarterback.
Jason Costa examines if the team he covers might be able to trade for Brock Purdy, last season's rookie sensation for the 49ers.
So what is the logic behind this hypothetical scenario? First, Costa isn't buying comments from general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan that Purdy is the "leader in the clubhouse" in Santa Clara regarding the starting quarterback job in 2023.
"They invested three first-round picks and a third-round pick in Trey Lance and were steadfast in their belief he was the guy until his season-ending injury," wrote Costa. "When a team is enamored that much with a player, especially a quarterback, they tend to get blinders and give them every opportunity to start and succeed. Brock Purdy may be the 'starter' in theory but don't be surprised if he has one or two rough games that he gets benched for Lance."
Costa doesn't believe Purdy would be too costly, either. The quarterback guided San Francisco to eight consecutive wins, including two playoff victories. The thought is that he is the "real deal" instead of a "one-hit-wonder."
"With that in mind, it may not take a first-round pick to swing a deal for him," Costa shared. "Parting with a couple of second, third, or fourth-round picks over the next two years would be a win-win. San Francisco would get a ton in return for a guy they drafted with the final pick in last year's draft, and Houston gets a near-perfect fit to run their offense."
He believes 2023 second and third-round picks and 2024 second and fourth-round picks would be enough to pique the 49ers' interest.
Such a trade would reunite Purdy with the 49ers' former defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans, now the Texans' head coach. It would also reunite the young quarterback with his offensive passing game coordinator from last season, Bobby Slowik, now the Texans' offensive coordinator.
Of course, it seems absurd that the 49ers might trade away the quarterback who helped guide the team to the NFC Championship Game. There is also his injury to consider. Many question if Purdy will be ready for Week 1. He is recovering from March 10 surgery to repair the tear of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow he suffered in that championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
"A scenario like this would be ideal for the Texans, and a home run to finish up an already impressive offseason," writes Costa.
Ideal for the Texans, yes. However, while the compensation is significant, it would leave the 49ers with even more uncertainty at the quarterback position than they already have, making such a trade extremely unlikely. It also makes this proposal a true head-scratcher if San Francisco's brain trust believes they have stumbled into finding a legitimate NFL starting quarterback in Purdy.
What are your thoughts on such a deal? Leave a comment below.